Georgia football: Tennessee is rivalry is one of the best things to come from SEC expansion

Before SEC expansion

Georgia and Tennessee wouldn’t meet again until 1968. The Dawgs and the Vols had the same goal for that year; win the National Championship. Tennessee finished 9-2 and undefeated against SEC opponents in 1967. They won the SEC and were named National Champs by Edward Likenhous and his math system. The Bulldogs took a step backwards in 1967, but they were a mere two points from an undefeated campaign in 1966. With a senior led group, the Dawgs aimed for the sky going into 1968.

The first opponent for Georgia and Tennessee in 1968 was each other. Tennessee had just installed astro turf at Neyland Stadium, proving that they have always had an awful playing surface. The turf didn’t bother Georgia too much and they had Tennessee locked in a close battle. After 60 minutes, nothing was proven. The game ended in a 17-17 tie.

Georgia later took the claim of being the superior team. They rolled through the regular season, a tie with Houston being their only other blemish. Tennessee was on their way to doing the same until a loss at Auburn set them back a game. Georgia won the SEC Championship, Tennessee finished second. Litkenhous named Georgia as his champions in 1968.

Georgia had plans on repeating in 1969 and they took a 5-1 record into their game at home versus undefeated Tennessee on November 1. But this time, Tennessee won, derailed Georgia’s season and went on to win the SEC Championship. The Dawgs wouldn’t win again in the 1960’s.

After that, the budding rivalry was back on hold. Tennessee nearly won the SEC Title again in 1970, as did Georgia in 1971. The series was back on in 1972. Tennessee entered Athens after having lost close games to Auburn and Alabama. Georgia also had two losses, one to Alabama. But their other was out of the conference so the Dawgs were still in the hunt. Though it wasn’t meant to be. Tennessee took out their frustrations on Georgia, winning 14-0.

The Dawgs got their revenge in 1973 though. In a rebuilding year, they managed to spoil and completely crash the Vols title hopes with a 35-31 win in Knoxville. Then the rivalry was off again with a longer break this time.

Georgia wouldn’t play Tennessee again until 1980, on the lightly padded cement in Knoxville. This would become one of the defining games of Georgia’s season. Down 15-2 in the third quarter, Vince Dooley turned to freshman Herschel Walker to carry the load at tail back. Walker rushed for two scores including one that is still a part of every Georgia highlight film to this day. Georgia won 16-15 on route to a National Title.

In 1981, Walker and the Dawgs had their most lopsided win in the series. Georgia obliterated Tennessee in Sanford Stadium 44-0 on their way to a SEC Title. Dooley defeated the Vols one more time in 1988 and Tennessee picked up the victory in their first game against Ray Goff in 1989. The sprouting rivalry went dormant again in 1990. At that time, no one could have predicted what Georgia/Tennessee meetings would become just a few years later.